Metallurgical process.



NITE STTE FRANZ VON KEGELGEN AND GEORGE O. ASSIGNORS, BYJMIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SEWARD, OF HOLCOMBS ROCK, VIRGINIA,- TO ELECTRO METALLURGICAL COMPANY,

METALLURGICAL PROCESS.

To all whom it may concern:

GEORGE O. SEWARD, a citizen of the United States, both residing at Holcombs Rock, in the county of Bedford-and State of Virginia, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Metallurgical Processes, of Which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple commercial -method of producing metals or alloys from metalliferous ores, mixtures of oxids, haloid salts, and mixtures of haloid salts and oxids, all of which we include herein under the generic term metallic compounds. These compounds We reduce by means of phosphids or a mixture of phosphids. These phosphids contain phosphorus combined with metals, as, for instance, calcium-phosphid; aluminiumphosphid; iron phosphid; chromium-phosphid, etc. These phosphids may act in different Ways on the mixture to be reduced.

- If the phosphorus and the metal with which it is combined as a phosphid each form compounds correspondmg to the compound of the metal to be reduced having a higher heat of formation than the compound to be re duced, both elements of the phosphid will act as reducing agents. If, for example, We reduce chromium-oxid by calcium-phosphid, we have the following reaction:

In this case both Ca and P take part in the reduction, or the chromium is reduced by the chemical energy of both elements.

Another reaction will occur when the phosphid used is of a metal which in its phosphid is chemically inerte. g.

where the iron does not act as a reducin agent and merely combines with the reduce metal.

With haloid salts or metals the reactions are similar according to the nature of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed anuary 30. 1905- Serial No. 243.413.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

[phosphid and haloid to be reduced, either oth elements of the phosphid or only the phosphorus acting as reducmg agents.

The heat of reaction is very dilferent in dilierent cases and in many cases the heat of reaction will have to be supplemented to a greater or less degree by other 'heatin In some cases the reaction Willcontinue. by the heat of the reaction after being started by the supplementary heating- We claim as our invention:

. 1. The herein described process of reduction of an ore or metallic compound reducible by phosphorus, which consists in effecting substantially the sole reduction of such ore or compound by causing a metallic phosphidto react therewith. v

2. The described process of reducing vmetallic compounds reducible by phosphorus, which consists in bringing into contact therewith a phosphid in such proportion as to effect the entire reduction, and raising the temperature sufiicientl to institute 'a reaction whereby the meta of said compound is separated.

3. The described process of reducing metallic compounds reducible by phosphorus, which consists in subdividing the same and commingling therewith at normal temperature'a metallic phosphid insuch proportion an ore or unreduced metallic compound reducible by phosphorus, which consists in heating a mixture thereof with a phosphid.

as to effect the entire reduction, and raising "i 7. The described process of reduction of I .In witness whereof, we have hereunto an ore or unreduced metallic compound resigned our names in the presence of two sub- 10 ducible by phosphorus, which consists in scribing'witne'sses. heating a mixture thereof with a. metallic l FRANZ VON KUGELGEN.

5 phosphid. 4 v GEORGE O. SEWARD.

' 8. The described rocess hich consists in Witnesses: reacting on an unre uced mess-0f a metallic JNO. B. HUFFARD,

C. OFFERHAUS..

compound with a'metallic phosphid. 

